Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 7:37 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 7:37 p.m.

Twice, Caroline Dailey took a swing at winning a spot in a women's professional tennis tournament by competing in a wild card event at The Oaks Club.

Both times, Dailey's efforts were rewarded, as she won the wild card tournament to earn a spot in a USTA Pro Circuit women's event.

Should Dailey win the wild card tournament a third time, perhaps they should simply rename the event the Sweet Caroline Invitational.

“That would be pretty cool,” Dailey said with a laugh.

Dailey, a senior at Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota, kicks off her latest run toward earning a wild card when The Oaks Club $50,000 Women's Professional Tennis Tournament Wild Card Event gets under way today in Osprey.

Dailey may be listed as the top seed, but her path to a third title appears to be much more difficult this time around.

What began as a local event with a limited field has turned into a tournament that has attracted several players ranked on the Women's Tennis Association computer.

A record 22 players signed up for the wild card event and eight of those have a world ranking.

So strong that two of the players who signed up — Maria Shiskina and Katerina Kramperova — won't even play in the tournament today.

They both made the main draw of a USTA $10,000 tournament in Gainesville, with Kramperova, ranked No. 341, earning the No. 3 seed. Both won Wednesday and are now in the quarterfinals at that event.

Dailey said she will take the same approach as she did the past two years — looking at the tournament as a chance to get some extra match-play and not focusing on winning the event.

“I try not to think too much about (winning a third time) because if I do that it probably won't happen,” she said. “The last two years I was just looking for extra match-play and I ended up winning. I am hoping I can do the same this year.

“I am playing really well this year, so we will see what happens.”

Unlike last year, Dailey is in the middle of the high school tennis season. A year ago she skipped the high school season to concentrate on playing tournament tennis while going through the college recruitment process.

Dailey signed in November to play next year at the University of South Carolina. With her college choice out of the way, Dailey decided to play her senior season at ODA.

Though Dailey lost in the first round of the main draw after reaching the USTA Pro Circuit event the past two years, the experience has helped her grow as a tennis player.

Two years ago she took Japan's Erika Sema, who was ranked No. 91 in the world at the time, to three sets before losing 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. Last year she fell, 6-1, 6-2 to Coco Vandeweghe.

“It was a really good experience to play against girls ranked in the top 100 and see where my game stacks up, and seeing that it is not that far off,” Dailey said. “It was a good opportunity. It shows me where I want to be somewhat soon.”

The wild card tournament gets under way with first-round matches at 10 a.m. today. Second-round matches will be played today at 4 p.m. The tournament resumes Saturday with quarterfinals starting at 10 a.m. and semifinals at 2 p.m. The final will be played at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The winner advances to the main draw of the $50,000 event, which will be held March 24-31 at The Oaks. The finalist earns a spot in the qualifying tournament for the USTA Pro Circuit event.

The public is invited to view the wild card tournament at no charge. For more information, contact The Oaks Club at (941) 966-3605.

Sarasota resident Jimmy Arias has been added to the Pro-Am lineup to be held in conjunction with the $100,000 Sarasota Open to be held April 13-21 at The Tennis Gardens at the Longboat Key Club. Arias was one the original students at what became the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and he reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world in 1984 at the age of 19.

Sarasota Open tournament director Tony Driscoll also announced that Dasha Sharapova, Yulia Shupenia and sisters Brianna and Brooke Lashway have been added to the Nick Bollettieri Sarasota Open, a women's invitational tournament to be held in conjunction with the USTA men's Pro Circuit event.

Dasha Sharapova is a cousin to pro tennis player Maria Sharapova.

Call (941) 809-8996 for more tournament information.

The Meadows Country Club will host the 5th annual “Battle of the Club Professionals” on Sunday. The event brings together 16 of Sarasota's top tennis teaching professionals from 10 of the area's local clubs in a one day doubles shootout to compete for $1,000 in prize money.

Matches begin at 9:30 a.m. at The Meadows Country Club Tennis Center, 3100 Longmeadow, Sarasota. Second-round matches are scheduled at 11 a.m. and the final is set for 12:30 p.m.

<p>Twice, Caroline Dailey took a swing at winning a spot in a women's professional tennis tournament by competing in a wild card event at The Oaks Club.</p><p>Both times, Dailey's efforts were rewarded, as she won the wild card tournament to earn a spot in a USTA Pro Circuit women's event.</p><p>Should Dailey win the wild card tournament a third time, perhaps they should simply rename the event the Sweet Caroline Invitational.</p><p>“That would be pretty cool,” Dailey said with a laugh.</p><p>Dailey, a senior at Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota, kicks off her latest run toward earning a wild card when The Oaks Club $50,000 Women's Professional Tennis Tournament Wild Card Event gets under way today in Osprey.</p><p>Dailey may be listed as the top seed, but her path to a third title appears to be much more difficult this time around.</p><p>What began as a local event with a limited field has turned into a tournament that has attracted several players ranked on the Women's Tennis Association computer.</p><p>A record 22 players signed up for the wild card event and eight of those have a world ranking.</p><p>“This event has ramped way up,” tournament director Tom Whitten said. “It is ridiculous how strong this wild card event has become.”</p><p>So strong that two of the players who signed up — Maria Shiskina and Katerina Kramperova — won't even play in the tournament today.</p><p>They both made the main draw of a USTA $10,000 tournament in Gainesville, with Kramperova, ranked No. 341, earning the No. 3 seed. Both won Wednesday and are now in the quarterfinals at that event.</p><p>Dailey said she will take the same approach as she did the past two years — looking at the tournament as a chance to get some extra match-play and not focusing on winning the event. </p><p>“I try not to think too much about (winning a third time) because if I do that it probably won't happen,” she said. “The last two years I was just looking for extra match-play and I ended up winning. I am hoping I can do the same this year.</p><p>“I am playing really well this year, so we will see what happens.”</p><p>Unlike last year, Dailey is in the middle of the high school tennis season. A year ago she skipped the high school season to concentrate on playing tournament tennis while going through the college recruitment process.</p><p>Dailey signed in November to play next year at the University of South Carolina. With her college choice out of the way, Dailey decided to play her senior season at ODA.</p><p>Though Dailey lost in the first round of the main draw after reaching the USTA Pro Circuit event the past two years, the experience has helped her grow as a tennis player.</p><p>Two years ago she took Japan's Erika Sema, who was ranked No. 91 in the world at the time, to three sets before losing 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. Last year she fell, 6-1, 6-2 to Coco Vandeweghe.</p><p>“It was a really good experience to play against girls ranked in the top 100 and see where my game stacks up, and seeing that it is not that far off,” Dailey said. “It was a good opportunity. It shows me where I want to be somewhat soon.”</p><p>The wild card tournament gets under way with first-round matches at 10 a.m. today. Second-round matches will be played today at 4 p.m. The tournament resumes Saturday with quarterfinals starting at 10 a.m. and semifinals at 2 p.m. The final will be played at 10 a.m. Sunday.</p><p>The winner advances to the main draw of the $50,000 event, which will be held March 24-31 at The Oaks. The finalist earns a spot in the qualifying tournament for the USTA Pro Circuit event.</p><p>The public is invited to view the wild card tournament at no charge. For more information, contact The Oaks Club at (941) 966-3605.</p><p>Sarasota resident Jimmy Arias has been added to the Pro-Am lineup to be held in conjunction with the $100,000 Sarasota Open to be held April 13-21 at The Tennis Gardens at the Longboat Key Club. Arias was one the original students at what became the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and he reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world in 1984 at the age of 19.</p><p>Sarasota Open tournament director Tony Driscoll also announced that Dasha Sharapova, Yulia Shupenia and sisters Brianna and Brooke Lashway have been added to the Nick Bollettieri Sarasota Open, a women's invitational tournament to be held in conjunction with the USTA men's Pro Circuit event.</p><p>Dasha Sharapova is a cousin to pro tennis player Maria Sharapova.</p><p>Call (941) 809-8996 for more tournament information.</p><p>The Meadows Country Club will host the 5th annual “Battle of the Club Professionals” on Sunday. The event brings together 16 of Sarasota's top tennis teaching professionals from 10 of the area's local clubs in a one day doubles shootout to compete for $1,000 in prize money.</p><p>Matches begin at 9:30 a.m. at The Meadows Country Club Tennis Center, 3100 Longmeadow, Sarasota. Second-round matches are scheduled at 11 a.m. and the final is set for 12:30 p.m.</p><p>The lineup for first round matches is: Laurel Oak vs. Bradenton Country Club; Venice Courtside vs. Longwood Athletic Club; Longboat Public Courts vs. The Meadows/Cedars; and River Strand vs. Jacaranda/ Plantation.</p><p>The event is open to the public at no charge. For more information, contact The Meadows Tennis Center at (941) 378-5265.</p><p>Payne Park Tennis Center hosts the Totally Tennis “Battle of the Ages” event Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. A pair of adult 4.5 players from Payne Park — Sean Rogers and Mick Behr — will take on 15-year-old Zack Burau and 13-year-old Antoine Sanchez, who attend the Celsius Academy, based at the Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club.</p><p>Call (941) 371-0162 for more information.</p>